In the International Patent Application WO 1999/001193, a partition for columns which carry out separations and/or chemical reactions is disclosed. The partition is comprised of a plurality of partition elements arranged one above the other and/or one alongside the other in the same plane. The partition elements are disposed on column trays, horizontally extending plates or grids. These in turn are fastened on support rings which are arranged on the inner wall of the column.
The drawback of this state of the art is that the column trays, horizontally extending plates or grids can only be mounted on the column inner wall at the predetermined support rings. The support rings as a rule, are welded fast with the column inner wall so that a shifting of the support rings is possible only at great expense. That means that the spacing between column trays, horizontally extending plates or grids between which the packing is provided, is not variable.
A further drawback in the case of the above mentioned patent application is that between two partition elements, sealing failures can arise. Even with partition elements which are connected by clamping connections and/or plug connections can sealing failures arise since defects in the fabrication of the clamping connections and/or plug connections can occur. With a certain play in the clamping connections or plug connections, sealing failures can develop together with possible pressure losses.